Cats are natural playmates, and their activity is beneficial for their owners.
For the most part, your aim as an owner is to keep your feline engaged and happy. When they play, their innate behavior can help you accomplish your aims.
Some cats are eager to try new toys, and you might witness this when playing fetch with your dog. So, do cats play fetch?
Cats can be taught to play fetch with their owners or with other dogs. As with dogs, cats that are trained to be fetchers can become highly engaged, happy pets.
Although your cat might not enjoy playing fetch as much as dogs do, you can encourage it by playing fetch yourself. Cats are natural hunters and often enjoy chasing prey and catching it.
If you play fetch with your cat and pretend to throw something for them to catch, your feline companion may get the idea and learn to play fetch with you.
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Do Cats Play Fetch?
Fetch is a real favorite among dogs and even cats can learn to play this interactive game with their humans.
Some cat breeds are known to be more enthusiastic and perceptive when it comes to playing fetch than others are.
If you teach your cat the game of fetch, they might enjoy it just as much as the dog does.
To teach your pet the game of fetching, you’ll need to grab a toy or treat and find a place for your pet to stand. Give your pet the command “fetch” or “bring it” and then toss the object as they run towards you.
However, if the situation is right, any cat can be trained to fetch an object or toy willingly and with enthusiasm.
Why Is My Cat Obsessed With Fetch?
Fetch is a rewarding game for both owners and their pets, and cats are no exception.
Because cats need a reward in order to learn and associate a command with an action, you’ll need to use treats or toys while training your pet to play fetch.
As a reward for his “hunting,” pet cat owners are often inclined to toss a toy for their pet to play with or to give the pet a treat as a prize.
My cat likes to drag things around and I often give her her toys.
Playing with your pet is a rewarding and bonding experience but there are some toys that should be avoided when playing fetch with your cat.
When selecting an item to “fetch” for your pet, make sure that it’s an appropriate size and weight.
It’s also beneficial if your toy or object is brightly colored and has many moving parts or noises.
To make it more enticing, the cat owner may shake or bounce the toy to make it move or for it to emit a noise while throwing it for the pet to chase.
Is It Rare For Cats To Play Fetch?
Fetching is a game beloved by many cats and their owners.
When you toss crinkle balls or simply a crumpled piece of paper for your cat to play with, it may seem like you’re playing fetch with your cat when in reality, you probably aren’t and your cat.
When you call them back, your cat might not bring your ball back at all or they might bring it back and drop it at your feet or on your carpet and walk away.
Your lethargic cat might not return your toy at all because of reasons such as a lack of stimulation and boredom.
You may be surprised the first time your cat brings the ball back to you and you may be elated with the moment but after that, the excitement of seeing your cat play fetch may wear down.
What Percentage Of Cats Play Fetch?
Fetching is an innate ability that some cats enjoy and that owners may consider one of the best ways to interact with their feline friend.
My good friend Mike had a cat named Little Kitty who would fetch a ball launched by Mike and bring it back to him every day without fail.
Cats can be taught to fetch, but it requires more patience than training a dog to fetch.
If your cat learned to play fetch with you or with another pet, your cat might become highly engaged and eager to play fetch everyday.
Although dogs are more in tune with their owners than cats can be, cats are just as eager to play fetch with their owners as dogs are to play with their owners.
When you throw a toy or object for your pet to chase, it might help if your pet is rewarded for fetching the item or is rewarded with attention when they bring it to you.
Can You Teach Cats To Play Fetch?
Fetch and other cat tricks can be taught through positive reinforcement techniques which require praising and petting for good behavior.
Cats can be taught how to fetch with training, but some cats prefer their own ways of playing fetch.
Some people believe that cats are smarter than dogs and can be trained and entertained like dogs do.
Cats may be slower to learn than dogs, but they can learn most tricks and games given the opportunity and the proper training.
Also See: Older Cat Playing Rough With Kitten
How To Teach A Cat To Fetch
Fetching a cat is a straightforward process.
You can train your cat to fetch a ball by playing fetch with a ball that your cat already likes, and your cat will follow your lead and begin fetching the ball on its own.
Let’s break it down into steps:
- Retrieving a crinkle toy your cat prefers and throwing it for your kitty is also helpful training practice for your kitty and will help reinforce the idea of fetching the ball.
- Many cats enjoy the sound of crinkles, so you may also want to play fetch with a crinkle toy to help encourage your cat to grasp the idea that fetching the ball is a good idea.
- Fetch the ball for some positive attention from you and let that be your cat’s reward. Make sure to reward your cat with a treat or petting when the ball is returned.
- Playful kittens are adorable and mesmerizing as they tend to run after small objects with reckless abandon.
- However, these kittehs get bigger and their desire to pounce on their surroundings or catch small objects tend to disappear over time.
- When your cat starts to play less and develops less energy, cat exercise balls are your best tool for keeping their natural instincts active and stimulated which is vital to their overall health and wellness.
- Fetch the ball with your cat and throw the ball as you walk back and forth across the room.
- This will teach your cat that retrieving the toy is ultimately rewarding and it will help them develop a sense of ownership over the ball, as well as encouraging exercise and activity.
Conclusion
In summary, cats enjoy playing with their owners as well as other cats.
By playing with you or with other dogs, your cat can improve its physical health and mental health. For these reasons, you should play with your cat regularly, regardless of whether or not it plays fetch with other animals.
In addition, you should play fetch with your pet regularly so they understand the reward of retrieving an object or toy.
Cats can be taught to fetch balls and other objects with training and patience.
A toy that lights up or has moving parts will entice your feline friend to want to play fetch and give it an appropriate reward for fetching the ball.
Chew toys can also be thrown for your cat to retrieve and might be more rewarding for your pet if it can chew on the toy after it has been retrieved.
